Barbed Lives ☑️

42. Frenemies?

"So you've been this bad mouthed always, or today is a special occasion?"
Neil asked me when his punch hit my nose and I swore the tenth time in this sparring session.

"Thank god you didn't meet me back at KMA. I wouldn't have survived without cursing there. And I'd be fighting with you instead of teaming up with Stuart and picking on our Juniors and Daniel."
I said laughing.

"I've heard this name Daniel. Is he the one who burnt down Ghost Rider's room?"
Neil asked still guarding his face.

I let all my defences down and stood with my mouth open.
"How the fu.. the hell do you know that?!!"

"Told you I kept an eye on you. Now guard your face before I give you a black eye."
He warned me sweetly.

I lifted my hands up but I knew I'll be getting beaten today, because I couldn't get over the fact that Neil knew about the incidence and thought Dan did it.

He placed two punches on my face and a clever third on my gut all of which I poorly defended.
While he planned to place a fourth, I faked a punch to his face and planted another on his gut with other hand.
He got tricked and got a light hit.

He moved a few steps back and continued talking.
"You didn't answer me. Is he the one?"

"No. Infact nobody knows who it was. But if you were to find the reason behind Tom Ryder's defamation, you're looking right at it."
I said chuckling pointing at myself.

"You definitely hated him."
Neil said laughing too.
"Ryder got so famous that everyone calls him Ghost Rider for this fire episode. He has been mocked so many times because of you, James."

"I really feel bad for him. Everyone who meets him, laughs before saying sorry for laughing."
I agreed.

"Are we fighting or cracking jokes? Get serious!"
That was Charles who happened to pass by when we both were 'talking' instead of fighting.
Great.

"Yes instructor Charles."
We said in unison and straightened up.
Atleast I was in no mood to get screwed.

We started sparring seriously, giving each other nice hits. But that happened till Charles kept his eyes on us.

The moment he left gym, we both pulled our guards down and stood few feet apart.

"Start talking."
Neil said interested.

"It was third term. Our field camp was supposed to be held in two days. But it rained followed by snowfall. The temperature dropped down drastically. Beta was thinking of postponing our camp but Major Tom insisted that we go ahead as per the schedule. He was our camp I/C and wanted to finish it soon. Beta agreed and we, in bone chilling winters, went for a three day field camp. On the last day, my batchmates lauded me into asking permission for a bonfire from him. He said no at first but later on gave in, warning me to be careful. We were indeed very careful throughout. The fire felt so good in that cold. After staying up for hours more than we were supposed to, we sprinkled water and put the fire out. Heat gone, boys were in a hurry to go back, someone kicked a still red log that landed on Major Tom's tent. No one had a clue till we saw orange light coming from one end of our camp. Ryder ran out screaming 'fire! fire!' . We all rushed and threw water and mud and killed the fire. But his whole tent had turned into ashes. He looked at us with red eyes and we knew we're gone. We stayed out the whole night getting rogered while he slept in one of our tents. Next day we returned to KMA half conscious only to find Beta steaming. We all prepared to die. But he wasn't angry at us. He smoked Ryder right in front of us for being so careless. I guess that's how Tom Ryder became famous as Ghost Rider because no other officer ever woke up in the middle of the night to find the roof over his head gone, screaming for help. We laugh with our bellies in our hands till date as we remember his ghost face when he came out."
I was laughing before I could even finish.